Semakin Tua, Semakin Sering Menyendiri?

Menggabungkan fakta-fakta di atas, pesan yang ingin disampaikan bukanlah agar kita merasa sedih menghadapi kesendirian ketika penuaan, melainkan untuk mengakui kenyataan bahwa hubungan sosial memiliki kompleksitas tersendiri. Seringkali kita cenderung mengukur validitas sosial dari seberapa banyak waktu yang dihabiskan bersama orang lain. Namun, nyatanya kualitas waktu yang dihabiskan bersama orang lain dan harapan-harapan kita justru memiliki pengaruh yang lebih besar terhadap perasaan emosional dan mental diri sendiri. 

Referensi

Ortiz-Ospina, E. (2020, December 11). Who do we spend time with across our lifetime?. Our World in Data. https://ourworldindata.org/time-with-others-lifetime  

Tomstad, S., Dale, B., Sundsli, K., Saevareid, H., & Sderhamn, U. (2017). Who often feels lonely? A crosssectional study about loneliness and its related factors among older home dwelling people. International Journal of Older People Nursing, 12, &NA;. https://doi.org/10.1111/opn.12162 

Ailshire, J., & Crimmins, E. (2011). Psychosocial Factors Associated with Longevity in the United States: Age Differences between the Old and Oldest-Old in the Health and Retirement Study. Journal of Aging Research, 2011. https://doi.org/10.4061/2011/530534 

Yeh, S., & Lo, S. (2004). Living alone, social support, and feeling lonely among the elderly. Social Behavior and Personality, 32, 129-138. https://doi.org/10.2224/SBP.2004.32.2.129 

Yang, Y. (2007). Is Old Age Depressing? Growth Trajectories and Cohort Variations in LateLife Depression. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 48, 16 - 32. https://doi.org/10.1177/002214650704800102